The ability of the yeast, Sporobolomyces roseus, isolated from leafy material, to modify lignin derived from beechwood pulping was examined by FTIR and 13C NMR spectroscopy, which revealed oxidative cleavage of the Calpha-Cbeta linkages between lignin units. Using veratryl alcohol as a model substrate confirmed that Sp. roseus could oxidize veratryl alcohol into veratric acid. This yeast might be suitable for the pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials and/or for biotransformation of technical lignins.